Seal



Patented Dec. 30, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE snarl Simpson 0.Leonard, In, Detroit, Mich. Application May 20, 1940, Serial No. 336,097

1 Claim.

This invention-relates to a seal of the type which is adapted to beinserted in a housing or the like in encompassing relation to a part tobe sealed, such as a rotatable shaft.

An object of the invention is to provide improved means for yieldablysupporting a sealing member with respect to a stationary housingtherefor whereby the sealing member is yieldably maintained in sealingengagement with a part to be sealed.

Another object of the invention is the provision in a seal of theforegoing type of an improved support including a plurality of springfingers to which the sealing member is directly secured in envelopingrelation therewith.

Other objects and advantages of the invenshown in encompassing relationto a part to be sealed such as a rotatable shaft l0, and includes anannular housing having an-axially extending The flange 22 has athickness reduced with respect to the thickness of the flange 20 so thatit constitutes in efliect a spring part having a taper.

in the direction of the free end thereof. The

flange or part-L22, as shown in Fig. 3, consists 1 of a plurality ofspring fingers indicated more particularly by the numeral 24 and whichhave a space therebetween. The fingers are preferably formed by suitablyremoving spaced sections of the material of the part 22.

An annular sealing member 26 of rubber-like material envelopes thespring fingers 24 and is molded thereto, this material extending intoand preferably closing the space between the fingers. The fingersaccommodate relative movement between the shaft and seal housing wherebythe axis of one may be slightly tilted withrespect to sealedandincluding axial and radial flanges,

flange or wall l2 and radially extending, axially spaced end flanges l4and I6 integral with the flange l2. Positioned within thehousing is 9.

1y extending flange l8 abutting the wall l2, a radially extending flange20 abutting the houstheaxis of the other andat the same time maintainthe sealing member 22 in sealing engagement with the shaft.

Various changes, including the size, shape and arrangement of parts, maybe made without departing from the spirit of the invention and it isnot'my intention to limit the scope thereof other than by the terms ofthe appended claim.

what I claim is: In a sealing unit adapted to encircle a par to be,sealed, a housing member having an opening adapted to accommodate thepart to be a support member including a radial flange abutting theradial flange or said housing member and a pair of radially spaced"flanges integral with the radial flange of said support-member,

35 the radially outermost of said pair of flanges sealing member supportwhich includes an axialingflange I6; and a second axially extendingflange 22 in radially spaced relation to' the flange l8 andextendingfrom the flange 20 toward the housing flange ll and disposedslightly diagonal with respect to the axis of the housing.

abutting the axial flange of said housing mem-- bet, the radiallyinnermost of said pair of flanges having a thickness reduced'withrespect to the thickness of the radial flange of said support 49 memberand including a plurality of spring flngers', and a rubber-like sealingmember enveloping said spring fingers and bonded thereto.

I SIMPSON C. LEONARD, Ja.

